Characters Discussed
Gwilym Morgan
Gwilym Morgan (GWIH-luhm), a Welsh miner. At first sympathetic with union agitators, he is later opposed to strikers and quarrels with his sons over their views. As mine superintendent, he is disliked by many of the workers. He dies in the cave-in of a flooded mine.
Beth Morgan
Beth Morgan, his wife, whose life is saved by young Huw just before Angharad’s birth.
Huw
Huw (hew), their son and the narrator, who many years afterward sadly recalls the days of his childhood and young manhood. He remembers the strike troubles that divided the family, his illness from exposure suffered in saving his mother’s life, his fights at school and his expulsion for beating the schoolmaster, his joining his brothers in the pits, his leaving to become a carpenter, and finally his entering the mine to find his father and staying with him until he died.
Ivor
Ivor (EE-vohr), the oldest son, sympathetic with his father’s views. He is killed in a mine cave-in.
Davy
Davy, another son, the last one to leave the mines. He migrates to New Zealand.
Owen
Owen and
Gwilym
Gwilym, two sons who (with Davy) move away from home for a time because of their union views. They later leave the valley for London and then America.
Ianto
Ianto (YAHN-toh), a son who marries a village girl and leaves the valley. He returns after her death and works in the mines until he leaves for similar work in Germany.
Angharad
Angharad (AHN-gah-rad), the Morgan daughter who loves Mr. Gruffydd but marries Iestyn.
Bronwen
Bronwen, Ivor’s wife, whom Huw loves from the moment he sees her as a child. He goes to stay with her after Ivor is killed.
Marged
Marged (MAHR-gehd), Gwilym’s wife, who goes mad from love of Owen and burns herself to death.
Iestyn Evans
Iestyn Evans (YEHS-tuhn), son of the mine owner and husband of Angharad.
Mr. Gruffydd
Mr. Gruffydd (GRIH-fuhth), the new minister who becomes Huw’s best friend. He loves Angharad but is too poor to marry her.
Ceinwen Phillips
Ceinwen Phillips (KEEN-wehn), Huw’s sweetheart.
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